Rod Ross

Meritorious Service

Rod Ross
City: Pocatello
State: ID
Inducted: 2026

Rod Ross coached numerous professional and world-renowned amateur bowlers and helped revolutionize coaching in the sport, but it was his work on the national level with Team USA and Junior Team USA that set him apart from most coaches.

Ross started as an assistant coach with Junior Team USA (2002-2004) and then as Junior Team USA’s Head Coach (2004-2017). He was an assistant coach for Team USA (2007-2010) before assuming the mantle as Team USA Head Coach from 2010-2020.

Ross’ teams amassed more than 300 medals (with more than 150 gold) in the following tournaments: Men's and Women's World Championships, World Bowling Youth Championships, World Bowling Junior Championships, Pan American Games, PANAM Elite Championships, World Cup, World Games and PANAM Champion of Champions.

Included in the hundreds of medals in international competition during Ross’ tenure were more than 25 world championships at the adult level, seven gold medals at the Pan American Games and three QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup titles. 

Prior to his tenure with Team USA, Ross put in the work to become a USBC Bronze-level coach (1991), then Silver (1993) and finally Gold (2000). He also was the coach at the International Training and Research Center during his time as Team USA Head Coach (2010-2020).

Ross served on the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association Board of Directors and was a presenter at the World Bowling Coaching Conference, iCoach in Finland and at USBC coaching conferences. 

He received the Friends of IBPSIA Award in 2017 and received the 2005 United States Olympic Committee’s "Doc" Counsilman Science Award for his work in bowling. 

Ross added USBC Hall of Fame honors to his previous selections as USOC National Coach of the Year for Bowling (2004, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2019).